plate no. 5497
Market of Segovia
Arturo Souto, 1945
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering paint to create depth and using a limited palette to achieve tonal harmony. It also provides practice in capturing the essence of figures and architectural forms with expressive brushstrokes.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 12 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the buildings and figures, focusing on the overall composition.
- step 02
Establish the dark areas with a thin wash of burnt umber or a similar dark brown.
- step 03
Begin layering in the mid-tones, using a mix of browns, yellows, and reds.
- step 04
Add highlights to the buildings and market stall using lighter shades of yellow and ochre.
- step 05
Define the figures with simple, gestural brushstrokes.
- step 06
Refine the details of the architecture, such as windows and rooftops.
- step 07
Add final touches of light and shadow to create depth and dimension.
- step 08
Glaze with thin layers to unify the painting.
color palette
primary · burnt umber · yellow ochre · raw sienna
secondary · cadmium red · ivory black
Mix burnt umber and yellow ochre for the dominant warm browns. Add small amounts of cadmium red to create warmer tones and ivory black to create cooler shadows.
techniques
- ·dry brush
- ·layering
- ·scumbling
- ·alla prima
- ·glazing
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the expressive quality of the brushstrokes.
- →Creating muddy colors by overmixing.
- →Failing to establish a strong value structure.
- →Not capturing the gestural quality of the figures.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·raw sienna oil paint
- ·cadmium red oil paint
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·#4 round brush
- ·#8 flat brush
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
Use a medium-textured canvas to enhance the brushstrokes. Consider using a toned canvas to establish a base color.
tips & new artworks in your inbox
no spam — unsubscribe anytime.
or to save artworks, chat, and track progress
in this vein
related artworks
Dolly Sisters
Kees van Dongen
Nude with Loaves
Jean Helion
My Father
Carlos Botelho
Helen
Chronis Botsoglou
The portrait painter in the country
Albin Egger-Lienz
Marketta on Lázeňská street, Prague
Maria Bozoky
Winter at the Entrepotdok, in Amsterdam city
Paul Werner
Old Woman with Masks (Theatre of Masks)
James Ensor